


the man that stayed with her grave

by Cornuts360



Series: Doctor Who Alternate Universes [3]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, Angst, Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, mainly twelveclara
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:47:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24415369
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cornuts360/pseuds/Cornuts360
Summary: There was a man who stood at the back of her funeral.He stayed with her until his time was up.
Relationships: Twelfth Doctor & Clara Oswin Oswald, Twelfth Doctor/Clara Oswin Oswald
Series: Doctor Who Alternate Universes [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1693993
Comments: 7
Kudos: 23





	1. Chapter 1

"In times like these, we have no words. We have only each other." the priest read as the Father of Clara Oswald took hold of himself rather than Clara's Step-Mother. Her Father was shaking as silent tears dripped down his face.

"Today we come together to mourn the passing of Clara Oswald. A loving daughter of David Oswald and Ellie Oswald. Devoted partner to John Foreman." 

There wasn't a crowd at Clara's burial. Everyone was dressed in black, and it was raining as well. A tent was placed above Clara's coffin, and the family was holding black umbrellas. The priest remained under the coffin tent as well. Clara's Gran was weeping as she held her own umbrella. A young man by the name of John Foreman was also at the funeral with a black umbrella of his own. He was sporting floppy hair and a black bowtie. John looked down at the coffin, grief in his eyes.

"Scripture tells us, 'Sorrow not, for we do not walk alone'." The priest continued until family and friends began putting items with her coffin. Little did anyone realize or notice at all, was a man standing in the back. Unnoticeable by the family aside from John. John eyed the man in suspicion before bowing his head down at his dead girlfriend's coffin.

The man standing at the back was named Basil Smith. Dr. Basil Smith who normally went by the name of "the Doctor". He was in his late fifties soon to be in his sixties. He wasn't using an umbrella, he remained soaked in the rain with his coat buttoned up and his hands in his pocket. With soaked black and grey hair and lines on his face, he stepped forward being the last person to place an item on Clara's box. 

Very carefully, he placed a red rose from inside his pocket on top of the coffin. Before placing down the rose, he gave himself and his dead friend a word. Carefully hugging the rose close to his heart. 

"No matter what... I'm going to stay by your side," he whispered to himself before talking to her in his head so no one else would hear. 'I'm going to come here every day and talk with you. You may be gone to others, but to me, you're still here.' 

He placed the rose gently onto her coffin, looked at it one final time before turning away and going back to his previous spot getting soaked. 

The coffin lowered into the ground and was beginning to be covered up with dirt. 

When the burial finished, David Oswald and his fiance Linda went into their car. Friends and colleagues all went their separate ways. The only people that were left were John, Basil, and Clara's Gran. Basil stood still while John began to leave, before stopping in front of Basil himself. 

"I don't know who you are, or why you are here. Clara never told me anything about you, but don't you dare come near her grave." John gave the old man an icy look before bumping into his shoulder and walk away.

Before going any further, Basil spoke, "I was a friend of Clara's. I'm sorry if I looked misleading."

John looked back at Basil feeling a bit more relaxed, " apologies, sir. I'm just overprotective. Get out of there before you catch a cold." 

With that, John left and it was only Basil by the plot and Clara's Gran behind him. She went up to the soaked doctor and placed a hand on his shoulder. Flinched a bit before realizing it was just Clara's Grandmother. 

"I know about you and Clara's relationship. She loved you very much, you know?" 

He nodded in response.

Clara's Grandmother began leaving Basil alone with his thoughts before hearing him say, "I loved her very much too."

She smiled before making her way to the car where the family and John were waiting. When they all settled in, they left the cemetery. 

It left Basil alone with her. 

With Clara.

Little did he know, his eyes began to burn and water. Not knowing what fell from his face, whether it was tears or rain. It didn't matter to him. His hand began trembling out of his pockets and he had to place them on his face to wipe away the water.

The rain stopped, but there were still streams on his face.

"I had a duty of care..." his voice trembled. "I can't believe that I broke my promise..."

He remained quiet, his knees becoming to a point of weakness.

He remained on his spot for another 15 minutes holding himself. 

Just as the Doctor was about to leave, he heard a voice. 

"You didn't break your promise Doctor." 

The Doctor's eyes widen at the voice and quickly turned his head back at the plot where Clara was buried. She wasn't there. Maybe it was all in his head. Frowning, he turned his back against the plot and said, "I thought you were there... I can't believe my imagination is playing with me."

"I may not be there, but I'm still with you," she said.

Almost overwhelmed, the Doctor quickly walked away before hearing her voice once more but it was faint as if it was in the distance.

"Don't leave..."

Turning back to face the plot of land. He gulped with a stray tear coming down his face before putting on a small sad, faltering smile. "I'll be back tomorrow, Clara Oswald."

He began walking towards his car wringing out his wet hair and chucking his wet coat into the back seat, taking a seat at the driver's seat turning on the engine of the car.

Before he left his spot, he mumbled to himself.

"I promise, my Impossible girl."


	2. Chapter 2

The next day was Clara’s birthday. She died on November 22nd, 20XX. Her family and John came to visit her grave for her birthday. The family stood still before it was time for the to leave. Making his way to Clara’s grave, the Doctor parked his car on the road. Getting out of his car, he noticed Clara’s family and John leaving her grave. The Doctor began waiting for them to leave so he could go to her grave.

When he heard their engines roaring to life and drive away, he closed his car door and made his way to Clara’s grave.

“Hello, Clara.” He greeted at the plot of land that had flowery wreaths on it. 

“I finished work early so I could come here.”

The Doctor is an artist and he was also a professor at St. Luke’s University. He hated some of the people there, but others were nice enough that he didn’t mind them. There was this one girl named Bill Potts that he considered family. Like a granddaughter. He didn’t know what he taught but he liked doing it. 

“No I didn’t just dismiss all my classes early. The school day ended an hour earlier than usual.”

He took out a paper rose from his pocket and placed it on the ground, “I know it’s not much, but it’s eco friendly at least. Haha...” he joked before sitting on the ground. 

The weather was nice, it’s cold, but the ground was dry. 

The Doctor could hear her giggle about his rose being ‘eco-friendly’ 

“It’s safe for the environment! It’s like those paper straws people use nowadays.”

He sighed, “I miss talking to you, Clara. If I had a time machine I’d definitely go back and save you.”

“You’re talking to me right now, you stupid old man,” he heard.

"Oh, how I wish that were true..." As he said those words, he felt a hand on his cheek. He looked up to see a woman with big brown eyes, with medium long hair and a round face with a funny nose. "C-Clara...?"

The woman shook her head, "your imagination. A ghost maybe."

"B-but... I could feel you, I can hear you, I can SEE you..."

"Again... Imagination. But, being a ghost seems fun don't you think?"

He looked at her lost for a bit before simply nodding. "Are you really going to keep your promise on visiting me every day?"

"Yeah... I'm keeping my promise. Until the end of the line Clara Oswald."

"Well... that's good. Right? Tell me about what's been happening." the figure sat in front of the Doctor cross-legged. Her elbows on her knees and holding her head in her hands, waiting for a story to be told. Smiling, "Just like old times."

The Doctor chuckled and smiled, "just like old times... Okay!"

\---------------------

"Happy Birthday, Clara Oswald."  
She gasped, "so you remember!!"

He looked at her perplexed, "of course I remember! Why do you think I won't remember?"

"Maybe because I'm dead?" she retorts which only caused the Doctor to laugh, "Your birthday is important to me Clara. I don't even remember a lot of people's birthdays!"

"Now that's just rude isn't it?"

He shrugged, "It's not rude. It's unnecessary information that needs to be deleted." 

"Okay... then tell me this. Mister 'Birthdays are unimportant'. Why do you remember my birthday?"

"We knew each other for... I dunno, 5 years and you don't know when my birthday is?" he raised an eyebrow in amusement and put on a smile that almost reached a laugh. "We share the same birthday. November 23rd."

Her eyes widen and shoved his shoulder laughing, "Why didn't you tell me it was also your birthday when I was alive?!"  
"OW! Being with you is already a gift in itself!"

They stopped for a moment and looked at each other. He knew that she was an imagination, he can't really let people see he kissed nothing, or hugged nothing, or held at nothing. 

Clara kissed his cheek instead, "that is the sweetest thing you've ever said."  
"I don't know about sweet-"  
"Shut up!" she laughed and the Doctor rolled his eyes before the two fell in a fit of laughter, "yes Ma'am." 

\--------------------------

Just like old times.

\--------------------------

The two continued talking, laughing together. When strangers passed by her lot, they would always see the same man.

Talking to no one. 

Laughing to no one. 

Whenever he arrived, he was always happy.

Whenever he left, he was bittersweet.

It was good.


	3. Chapter 3

Four Weeks Later...

It was Saturday morning and the Doctor arrived at Clara's plot. When he arrived, he noticed something new about the plot. 

“Well would you look at that? The former school teacher finally got herself a gravestone! Now I can wrap my arms around you, and no, that is still not a hug.” He said as a matter of factly way. The Doctor heard her laugh.

“What you just described is a hug.” 

There sat Clara Oswald on her new gravestone. Casually sitting there, swinging her legs back and forth.

“No it’s not! It’s an arm... grip... thing. But anyway, I got you a flower!” He attempted to change the subject which worked... he thinks. The Doctor placed down the flower beside her new gravestone.

She smiled, “you always bring a flower every time you come and visit.”

"Why wouldn't I? Aren't we supposed to?"  
Clara shrugged, "I mean, it's out of respect? So in this case you're respecting me."

It was a crisp December, almost Christmas. Christmas Eve eve. December 22nd.

Clara tilted her head to the side wondering why he's here, "aren't you supposed to be going Christmas shopping? It's what...? The day before Christmas Eve?"  
He waved a hand in dismissal, "I already got Missy and Bill a gift."  
She crossed her arms before raising an eyebrow, "what about Nardole?"  
"Oh yeah him too."

Clara laughed at him leaning back against her gravestone. The Doctor sat leaning against it with his own arms crossed, "What? It's like buying a Christmas present for your own Mum! I got him a mug"  
"And what are you giving Missy and Bill?"  
"Well... For Bill, I thought about it... Her Mum was a friend of mine before she passed. She gave me a box of photos of her... Every now and then, Bill misses her Mum so I'm giving her the photos." He smiled to himself looking down at his fingers.  
"Awwwww! So what did you give Missy?"

He blinked and his hands continued to twiddle.  
"I actually... Asked her out on a date."  
Clara looked at her shocked and a hint of a smile on her face, "seriously?!"  
"It's only dinner nothing else! so... yeah seriously."  
"Even after what all three of us have been through?"  
"Well yeah, she said yes after all. Besides, she changed and she really needs me!" 

She nodded her head thinking for a moment, "I mean yeah go for it. Not going to lie she is pretty hot. I would date her."  
The Doctor looked at her shocked for a moment mouth open, "Seriously?! I'm telling you I'm her friend, nothing else."  
"You say that Doctor. Didn't realize you validated poly relationships."  
"Clara, I'm a progressive person and I can accept and handle the ever so changing ways of society and deem what's right and wrong. I'm not like some of those people." 

"Sooo... Are you dating Missy?"  
"Yes and no. We are dating and not at the same time... You know what? Yes. We're dating. Can we just collectively agree that I won't have sex with anyone, but just think people are hot?" in a 'fed up' way he threw his hands up in the air in defeat.

Clara just laughed, "that's very valid, Doctor-"  
"She also said she liked you too when you were alive..." he cut her off.  
She blinked at him in disbelief, "Oh my god... What the hell?!"  
"What do you want from me?!"  
"So this is what I missed when I was alive?"  
"Yes, believe it or not. I might bring her here tomorrow."  
"Doctor no, I'm literally your figment of imagination or a ghost that only you can see."

He blew out some air from his mouth, "well... You can't make me. She's the same level as insane as me so I'm pretty sure she might see you too."

Clara rolled her eyes before going into a fit of giggles, "whatever you say."  
“Besides, it’s Missy! She might go off and find someone else.”  
“Might is the keyword here, Doctor.” 

\-------------------

"I love you, you know that?" Clara asked the Doctor, sitting beside him.  
He nodded, "and I love you and Missy too."

Clara chuckled, "I know"

Just as the conversation continued through the afternoon, a car was parked right at the road near Clara's grave. The Doctor looked at the car and the people inside.

Crap...

It's her family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi I like twisswald—


	4. Chapter 4

He looked at the sight before him and began panicking.

"Clara, I'm sorry but today has to be cut short..."  
"What? Doctor, what's happening?"  
He stammered, "I-it's your family Clara. They're coming right here and I don't know where to go!"  
"Wh-?! Can't you hide??"  
The Doctor looked around and all the damn graves are tinier than he is. "Clara, I can't hide the graves are all TINY!"

"My Mum's grave." The Doctor looked at her confused, "what?" "Mum's grave. To your right. It's practically as tall as you."

"Uhh... Excuse me?" an unknown voice called out and the Doctor turned around from the grave. "You're blocking the way."  
He began panicking, "Uhh... uh y-yes. O-of course. Sorry about that."

When Basil began walking away he mumbled to himself as if talking to Clara still, "It's too late. Sorry, Clara, I've got to go."

The same voice stopped him, “Wait... who the hell are you?" John was there as well, but he decided not to say anything.

"What are you doing at my daughter's grave?!" Basil turned around to face her family.

"I'm only here to pay my respects. And..." he looked at his non-existent watch, "my time seems to be up. So I better get going-"

"You could stay. We wouldn't mind." Clara's Gran spoke out. Basil looked at the woman with his eyebrows furrowed. She seemed ultimately unfazed while the others sat in rather uncomfortable silence. With Linda obviously being the most uncomfortable than the rest of them. "Mum-" Dave started, but his Mum cut him off "save it."

The Doctor looked above Clara's grave to see her looking just as confused and shrugged. To the family, he seemed insane as if shrugging at nobody isn't normal. Which really isn't normal considering he looked genuinely confused but looked like he was talking to someone. Nobody was there. They were having a conversation with their eyes and the family was simply watching a deranged middle-aged man.

The eyes held a conversation.

_Clara, your family is watching us._

"I know."

_What do I do?!_

"Just keep talking!"

_They'll think I'm deranged!! Like I just came out of a mental asylum!!!_

"Doctor, you are **impossible**!"

_I know I am!! I'm weird. And, and **mad** like I've lost my MIND._

"When can we leave?" Linda broke the silence. For some reason, the Doctor felt a tad bit annoyed but he hadn't said anything. _Yet._

"We're paying our respects!" Dave argued.

"And, we have," Linda whispered something in Dave's ear that the Doctor didn't hear, but her eyes were pointed at him and her face was all scrunched up disapprovingly and a tad bit disgusted. She whispered, "we can't have an insane person hanging around your daughter's grave. He might be insane or ill! Or even... _into this kind of shit._ "

Clara's eyes widened with anger as she heard everything that her Step-Mother has said to her Father

Even though not hearing it, the face and the eyes already hurt and made him angry. In the spur of the moment, he didn't talk to her with his eyes. The Doctor said it out loud. "I'm sorry Clara but I've got to go."

"Doctor, no wait!" 

"I told you, Clara. They think I came out of the asylum with my head not in the right place. Too early to be let go from one."

It was already too late. He left the graveyard and Clara was left with her family that she can't tolerate at this moment.

Her family was in shock. No words were spoken as they all looked at each other, but Clara's Gran spoke up.

"How dare you."

\-----------------

"I can't... I can't keep doing this." 

The Doctor was alone in his car. Parked at his house, head rested on the wheel. Sometimes talking to himself helped him. "I loved her, but I can't move on... Why can't I move on?!" he slammed his head on the wheel.

Then again

and again

and again

_and again._

He looked at himself in his car's rearview mirror. His forehead was bleeding and a bruise was forming. 

Getting out of his car, he got into his house and immediately went to keep himself on his bed.

It was getting late and only then he began reminiscing about the time he met her. That deceased loved one. 

They met at a park. It was more like a parkette. A parkette in front of a school where the Doctor would sit every day. One day, something unexpected happened. He's seen all the teachers and were familiar with them, but none of them seemed to notice. Except for one. She was new. It was after school hours for her and as she went to her motorbike to get ready for home time, it was then she noticed him looking up at nothing, and then his eyes laid on her. He noticed she was staring. Neither of them moved. Maybe shifting from side to side. Eventually, she went up to him and sat beside him. 

He was looking at her all confused. Why would she sit next to _him?_ Of all the things she would have done. Instead of going home, she went to him. 

"Uhhh... hello?" she waved a hand around his face and he snapped out of his trance. 

Clearing his throat covering his embarrassed flushed face, "hi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Long time no see! Haven't updated in a while, it's time I've sort of changed that!


End file.
